Mediterranean Chocolate Mousse

If mousse vacationed in a Sicilian villa, this is how it would taste when it came back. Olive oil lends sultry silkiness and fruity complexity. The apricot and pine nut topping is a sun-soaked (but optional) delight.

ingredients

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 pasteurized eggs, separated*
1/3 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream, chilled 
2 teaspoons good quality olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped dried apricots

directions

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat; set aside.
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine egg yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar. Place bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Do not allow bowl to touch the water. Whisk for 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thick and lemon colored. Continue to whisk while drizzling in 1/3 cup olive oil. When all olive oil is incorporated, remove from heat. Whisk in melted chocolate and salt until smooth. Set aside for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding remaining sugar (2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon) until stiff peaks form. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg whites until almost combined. (A few streaks should remain.) Add cream to bowl used for egg whites. Beat until cream just holds stiff peaks. Fold cream into chocolate mixture until completely combined. Spoon into eight glasses or dishes. Chill, covered, until set, about 2 hours or up to 2 days.

To serve: If mousse chilled more than 2 hours, let it sit out for 15 minutes. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts; cook and stir until just browning, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apricots. Top mousse with nut mixture.

note

*Safety Note The light texture of this mousse comes from uncooked egg whites. Although the chance of catching a food-borne illness such as salmonella from a fresh, clean, unbroken and properly refrigerated A or AA egg is very slight, we recommend using fully pasteurized eggs (such as Davidson's Safest Choice).

nutrition facts
(Mediterranean Chocolate Mousse)

Servings Per Recipe 8, sugar (g) 15, Potassium (mg) 166, fiber (g) 1, sodium (mg) 124, pro. (g) 5, calcium (mg) 36, Monounsaturated fat (g) 12, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, carb. (g) 18, Niacin (mg) 0, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 3, Folate (µg) 16, Fat, total (g) 26, vit. C (mg) 0, cal. (kcal) 309, vit. A (IU) 468, iron (mg) 2, sat. fat (g) 9, Riboflavin (mg) 0, chol. (mg) 137, Thiamin (mg) 0